By Sean Davies BBC Sport

For all the problems at Rodney Parade, the Dragons will enjoy the novel situation of entering a new season with the same coach at the helm.

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If Paul Turner's results at the Gwent region have been mixed, everyone recognises the size of the task he has in Newport.

The ground and training facilities at the Dragons are in desperate need of modernisation, while former Wales outside-half Turner's recruitment policy has been as uninspiring as his budget.

Haldane Luscombe's summer departure to Harlequins was a major blow, Turner having seen the Wales three-quarter as the man to build his back line around.

Last season's captain and talisman Jason Forster left for Doncaster, having failed to secure a player-coach role at the Dragons.

Turner has had to scour the lower leagues in England for replacements, but he has an excellent knowledge of rugby at that level and the likes of Joe Bearman and Nic Fitisemanu could prove shrewd recruits.

Key player: Colin Charvis

More excitement will be raised by the arrival of Colin Charvis after a protracted courtship.

The Wales and Lions flanker has been seen as a direct replacement for Forster, and he could be the sort of obdurate forward the side need.

Dragons and Wales fans will hope that a summer break will see the former national captain come back to the sort of world-class form he showed at the start of the 2004/5 season.

Michael Owen will provide more back-row nous when he returns from shoulder trouble, while the second row has quality in the form of Ian Gough, Luke Charteris and Peter Sidoli.

TRANSFER STORIES Dragons capture Charvis Leeds sign Oakley and Hinton Dragons net USA duo & Scot prop New fitness coach for Dragons Dragons make eight signings Leeds sign Bryan from Dragons Forster moves to Doncaster Ospreys loan Brew to Dragons Pirates plunder Winn Breeze returns to Exeter roots Sharks sign Bryant Van Rensburg signs for Crusaders Luscombe signs for Quins Dragons swoop for Pirates

But the pack - and especially the front row - still looks lightweight when compared to the top Magners League sides, and the regional youngsters brought in to bolster the ranks face a testing time.

The back line is less of a worry, although the verdict is out on whether summer signing Mike Hercus will prove the answer to the problem outside-half spot.

New captain Kevin Morgan offers real firepower when he returns from injury, especially when he works in tandem with Gareth Wyatt, while Gareth Cooper's return is also eagerly anticipated.

Turner upset many at the end of last season when he claimed that the Dragons' Heineken Cup play-off defeat to Overmach Parma could prove to be a blessing in disguise.

But given the resources at Rodney Parade - and the fact that they receive the same level of Welsh Rugby Union funding despite being in the Challenge Cup - it is difficult to argue with his logic.

In place of last season's punishing Heineken Cup defeats against Castres, Munster and Sale, the Dragons face Bayonne, Bristol and Bucuresti in the Challenge Cup.

One to watch: Nic Fitisemanu

The Dragons will fancy their chances of advancing and look the clear favourites of any of the Welsh regions to make the knock-out stages of European competition, a prospect that would bring widespread interest and sell-out crowds.

A more hopeless and bruising Anglo-Welsh Cup campaign awaits against Leicester, Worcester and Northampton.

The Magners League also looks like being a slog, with a Heineken Cup play-off the most likely prize to be won.

Whether Turner considers that a goal worth attaining remains to be seen.

In: Matt Jess (Cornish Pirates), Joe Bearman (Cornish Pirates), Aled Brew (season-long loan from Ospreys), Shane Stewart (Ulster), Nic Fitisemanu (Nottingham), Ben Daley (Viadana), Alix Walker (from academy), Paul Bunce (fitness coach), Byron Haywood (academy fitness coach), Paul Emerick (Overmach Parma), Mike Hercus (Scarlets), Lee Harrison (Glasgow), Colin Charvis (unattached)

Out: Haldane Luscombe (Harlequins), Shawn van Rensburg (Celtic Crusaders), Jon Bryant (Sale), Ben Breeze (Exeter), Steve Winn (Cornish Pirates), Rhys Oakley (released, Leeds), Sione Tuipulotu (released), Chris Davies (released), Richard Bryan (Leeds), Jason Forster (Doncaster), Chris Anthony (retired), Will Kershaw-Naylor (released), Ricky Williams (Swansea RFC), Richard Payne (Swansea RFC), Ben Thomson (released), Andrew Brown (released), Dan Griffiths (released), Richard Dale (released), Ryan Campbell (fitness coach), Leigh Hinton (left by mutual agreement, Leeds)